Survey Data
Reg No
13312048
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Artistic, Social, Technical
Original Use
Gates/railings/walls
In Use As
Gates/railings/walls
Date
1880 - 1900
Coordinates
220438, 268588
Date Recorded
21/07/2005
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Entrance gateway to St. Brigid's Roman Catholic church (13312031), erected c. 1890. Comprising a pair of dressed carved limestone gate posts/piers with chamfered corners, decorative panels with trifoliation and stylised foliage, detailing to bases, and plinths. Hexagonal caps having painted cast and wrought-iron cross finials and cornices. Double leaf painted cast and wrought-iron gates with central cross finial. Central gateway flanked to either side by curved painted cast and wrought-iron railings set on a carved stone base/plinth wall, with cast and wrought-iron pedestrian gates. Painted cast-iron and dressed limestone gate stops to south. Random rubble stone boundary wall. Situated directly to the north of St. Brigid's church and to the east of Ardagh.
Appraisal
This elaborate entrance gateway serves as an appropriate prelude to the high level of design and craftsmanship apparent through St. Brigid's church (13312031) and grounds. The delicate stone carving to the gate posts is particularly attractive, and is an example of contemporary trends in design, such as in the work of William Morris. The elaborate and highly decorative gates and railings are very high quality examples of their craft and add significantly to the visual appeal of the roadscape. Ardagh village is notable for its number, quality and sympathetic maintenance of railings, gates and piers. It was probably erected to designs by Hague and McNamara architects, the firm responsible for the design of the church itself.